Object sorting with a scanning reel

ABSTRACT

Objects such as fruit, tomatoes or the like are manually sorted from a plurality of sorting stations disposed in front of a rotating, open-faced scanning reel. The reel has longitudinal, radially projecting flights that are fed from the top by a laterally inclined longitudinally running belt conveyor. Successive rows of the objects are inspected and selected objects are manually flicked out over the upper quadrant of the reel, whereas the remaining objects are confined by a curved guard and deposited into a separate collection station.

United States Cayton aten [ 51 Jan.25, 1971 1541 OBJECT SORTING WITH ASCANNllNG REEL [72] Inventor: David W. Cayton, Cupertino, Calif.

[73] Assignee: FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif.

[22] Filed: May 21, 1970 211 App]. No.: 39,199

[52] U.S. C1 ..209/122 [51] 1nt.C1. ..B07c 7/00 [58] Field ofSearch..209/122,124,111.6,111.7; 198/154 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,216,568 11/1965 Jacob ..209/111.7

3,565,248 2/1971 Messerschmi-dt ..209/l1l.7 X

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Att0rneyF. W. Anderson and C. E.Tripp [57] ABSTRACT Objects such as fruit, tomatoes or the like aremanually sorted from a plurality of sorting stations disposed in frontof a rotating, open-faced scanning reel. The reel has longitudinal,radially projecting flights that are fed from the top by a laterallyinclined longitudinally running belt conveyor. Successive rows of theobjects are inspected and selected objects are manually flicked out overthe upper quadrant of the reel, whereas the remaining objects areconfined by a curved guard and deposited into a separate collectionstation.

29 Claims, 32 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAHZSISYE 3,6373075 SHEET 18F 9INVENTOR DAVID W. CAYTON l8 BY Jan W u w CULLS a a ATTORNEYS PATENTEUJAN25 I972 SHEET 2 BF 9 TIIELfEI:

PATENTED JAHZS I972 SHEET 3 BF 9 '7 FIE:

PATENTEU JANZS 1s72 SHEET Q UF 9 (DIG PATENTEDJANZSIBTZ 306372075 SHEET7 BF 9 POWER SWITCH TIME DELAY RESET F F Q READ /AND n 160 A I62. I64-REJECT SIGNAL agssfrvows PATENTED M25 1972 SHEET 8 OF 9 mmmm 3,6370%SHEET 9 CF 9 I E'I[Ei 22 OBJECT SORTING WITH A SCANNING REEL FIELD OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to article sorting and thepreferred embodiment disclosed is employed for sorting fruits such astomatoes or the like as rows of the fruits are successively presented tosorting stations.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART In US. Pat. No. 364,977, to Vellines, patentedWane 14, 1887, nuts are distributed from a longitudinal conveyor to asorting (picking) table by transfer rollers which push on the nutsentering the table.

In the US. Pat. to Peters No. 1,340,079, patented May 1 l, 1920,tomatoes are carried past grading stations wherein they are dropped ontoinclined chutes leading to packing tables. Nongraded tomatoes tumbleonto other inclined platforms leading to other packing tables.

In US. Pat. to Rogers No. 1,394,445, patented Oct. 18, 1921, eggs aredropped by a conveyor into a row of inspection cups which can be tiltedto drop an individual egg into any one of several grading chutes.

In US. Pat. to Byington, No. 1,783,700, patented Dec. 2, 1930, aconveyor belt feeds fruit both longitudinally and laterally forpresentation to rows of sorters along the sides of the belt.

In U.S. Pat. to Butler No. 2,010,136, patented Aug. 6, 1935, apples arelifted by upwardly moving flight bars and stopped in rows at a stop bar.Here the apples are stationary in the row while they are manuallymanipulated and selected apples lifted into a collection station beforethe row is released for delivery to another collection station.

In US. Pat. to Horton No. 3,241,650, patented Mar. 22, 1966,longitudinal conveyors are provided with deflectors that divert lanes offruit to gravity transfer tables leading to in dividual packers.

The US. Pat. to Looker No. 3,301,331, issued .Ian. 31, 1967; and CsimmaNo. 3,340,935, issued Sept. 12, 1967, disclose tomato harvesters havingflat sorting belts that run in front of a row of sorting operators andrepresent the typical arrangement for the high tonnage sorting requiredin this type of sorting.

US. Pat. to Paxton, No. 2,099,223, patented Nov. 16, 1937, is for anautomobile fruit sizer reel having flight bars that are spaced from oneanother and from a central mandrel in a manner that causes allundersized fruit to be retained between between the flights by theflights themselves and dropped out at the bottom of the reel, whereasall of the larger fruits auto matically fall out onto an inclined dropplate. The flights include rollers that are turned over their upper pathto assist in the sizing operation and for causing an upper flight rollerto discharge the fruit over a lower, nonrotating flight roller onto thedrop plate.

The pamphlet Visual Inspection of Products For Surface Characteristicsln Grading Operations by the US. Department of Agriculture, Productionand Marketing Administration, in cooperation with the University ofCalifornia Institute of Engineering Research, Marketing Research ReportNo. 45, Washington, D.C., June, 1953, discloses (e.g., Fig. 8) a citrusfruit sorting conveyor wherein a flat belt and transverse flight barsmove at a differential speed toward a sorting operator to rotate thefruit for inspection before the sorter grasps and lifts selected fruitout from between the flight bars.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Although the present invention is not limitedto use for the manual sorting of fruits, such as tomatoes, or for use inany particular sorting environment, the embodiment to be described indetail has been specifically adapted for manual inspection describedsorting with a high flow rate of tomatoes and by a number of sortingoperators disposed in a row along the sorting system. Other contemplatedenvironments for the present invention include the sorting of citrusfruit, apples, peaches, pears, etc.

Referring to the illustrated embodiment more specifically, in thepreparation of tomatoes for packing or the like, the harvest may containa relatively high percentage of culls. The culls can be the soft oroverripe fruit, green fruit, damaged fruit or fruit with noticeableblemishes, markings, etc. As described in the aforesaid Csimma patent, acommon means of sorting tomatoes under these conditions is to present anarray of tomatoes to a row of sorters by delivering the unsortedtomatoes to a conveyor belt running longitudinally and in front of thesorters. In this sorting system, each sorter must scan the entire widthof the body of fruit advancing the front of them on the sorting belt.Furthermore, they must reach over the belt, grasp the culls and liftthem clear of the stream of fruit on the belt, for disposal into aseparate collection station. Thus, each good fruit, after having passedthe first sorter is presented to the second sorter and so on down theline, so that each good fruit is inspected again and again before it iseventually delivered to its collection station.

Similarly, as also described in Csimma, it may be necessary to perform areverse sorting, wherein good fruits are manually removed, leaving theculls and clods of dirt on the sorting belt.

Under the present invention, the same flow rate of tomatoes can beinspected by the same number of sorters with a higher percentage offruit removal and with considerably less fatigue to the sortingoperators than that experienced previously. Conversely, fewer sorterscan process the same flow of fruit without decreasing sortingeffectiveness.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, asingle scan elongated sorting reel rotates between a fruit deliveryconveyor and a row of sorters. This reel has long flights which provideelongate open pockets and the pockets are filled along an upper portionof the reel from a distribution conveyor. The fruits are exposed andradially unconfined by the pockets. They are held between adjacentflights solely by the force of gravity. The pockets move along agenerally circular inspection path in front of the sorters so that thelatter can scan the fruits and merely flick the culls (or good fruit, asthe case may be) out with one hand (or the other) as the rows of fruitmove down in front of him. Each sorter does not scan the entire body offruit on the distribution conveyor in front of him, he looks only onsuccessive rows of fruit that are picked up by the reel and arepresented to him one by one. The result of this is that, in effect, eachsorter need scan only the percentage of the total fruit presentedcorresponding to his percentage of the total number of sorters provided.Thus, no fruits are scanned twice.

An important, fatiguereducing aspect of the invention when employed formanual sorting is that by thus presenting a relatively short length ofindividual rows of fruit to each sorter in a radially unconfined manner,a sorter can remove culls by simply flicking the fruit out of the reel(with either hand) into a discharge station for separate collection. Thefruit remaining in the reel after inspection is partially confined inthe reel to a point below the upper inspection and sorting sector of itspath, after which the fruit is released by the reel automatically, anddrops out freely into a separate collection station.

In a modification of the invention, means are provided for rotating eachfruit about its center as it is moved over the inspection and sortingpath, thereby assisting in exposing blemishes that might otherwiseremain on the underside of the fruit and hence be overlooked.

The preferred means for distributing the fruit into presort rows forpickup by the flights of the sorting reel is a simple one. Alongitudinal, horizontally running belt conveyor is provided thatreceives at one end all of the fruit to be sorted. This conveyor islaterally inclined downwardly from its outer to its inner side by anacute angle so that fruit rolls laterally across the conveyor toward thereel. This forms a presort row on the conveyor so that the reel can pickup the fruit a row at a time along the entire length of the conveyor,for presentation to a row of sorters in front of the reel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspectiveillustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the apparatus with the distribution belt insection.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section through the preferred sorting reel.

FIG. 4 is a plan of the preferred embodiment of the inventionillustrating the flow of objects in the sorting system.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a modified form showing a larger diametersorting reel, no objects being illustrated in this view.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged end view of the apparatus of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an end view, in section, of a modified form of the reel havingrelatively rotating parts.

FIG. 7A is a fragmentary side view, in section, of the modified reel ofFIG. 7.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary end view, in section, of a modified form of reelhaving contrarotating parts.

FIG. 8A is a fragmentary end view, in section, of the reel of FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary end view showing a belt-type sorting reel.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a modified apparatus (without fruit) showing adeflector bar distribution belt assembly.

FIG. 10A is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line l0A-l0A ofFIG. 10.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of another modified form of the invention showinga crowder bar distribution belt assembly.

FIG. 11A is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line llA-IlA ofFIG. 11.

FIG. 12 is a set of curves giving comparative cull removal figures whenusing a conventional sorting belt and the sorting system of the presentinvention.

FIG. 13 is a set of curves showing the performance of a plurality ofsorters with a conventional sorting belt and with the reel system of thepresent invention.

FIG. 14 is a section through a commutator-type reel for automaticsorting.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary side view of the reel with parts being brokenaway.

FIG. 15A is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 15A 15A ofFIG. 15.

FIG. 16 is a partially sectioned, fragmentary view of the reel andelectrical equipment.

FIG. 16A and 16B are sections taken along lines 16A16A and 16B-l6BofFIG. 16.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit for one rejectcommutator segment of the reel.

FIG. 18 is an end view of a modified confining guide assembly.

FIG. 19 is a view on 19-19 of FIG. 18.

FIG. I9A is an enlarged fragmentary section of the confining guide.

FIGS. 20 and 21 show modified reel flight bars.

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified distribution conveyor.

FIG. 23 is a view along line 23.23 of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a section along line 2424 of FIG. 22.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Although the sorting system of the presentinvention is of general utility in sorting discrete objects it isparticularly useful in the sorting of objects having globular shapessuch as fruit or the like. The embodiment of the invention to bedescribed is illustrated in connection with the culling of tomatoes thathave been harvested while ripe. This harvest includes over ripe, markettomatoes, green tomatoes, tomatoes with blemishes thereon and possiblyclods of dirt, etc. The throughput of the sorting system is relativelylarge and may easily reach the order of ID to 16 tons of tomatoes perhour. It is a feature of the present invention that a crop of thisnature can be sorted with a relatively small percentage of missed culls(small percentage of error) while occupying a relatively small area.That is the harvesting system of the present invention is quite compactand will accommodate a row of efficiently working, closely spacedoperators, say five or six sorters, more or less.

Referring to FIGS. l4, the embodiment of the invention illustratedincludes a feeder conveyor 10 that delivers fruit F, such as tomatoes,to a longitudinally running distribution conveyor 12 which is laterallyinclined downwardly at an acute angle a, preferably about 5ll5. Disposedalong one side of the distributing conveyor 12 is a rotating sortingreel R that presents the fruit F for inspection and sorting (culling inthe illustrated utilization). The market fruit and that running ofl" theend of the distributor conveyor 12 (at most a relatively small overflow)is directed to a market fruit conveyor 14. However, any fruit that runsoff the end of conveyor 12 could be collected separately andrecirculated through the sorting system by a conveyor system (not shown)which returns the fruit to the conveyor 10. The culls are guided by adepending chute member 16. A platform 18 (FIG. 4) may be provided, asrequired by the installation, for the formation of a plurality ofsorting stations S at which may be positioned sorting operatorsillustrated by the small circles at the platform and as seen in thediagram of FIG. 2.

The drives for the various moving elements of the sorting system are notcritical to the present invention and as shown in FIG. 4, parts aredriven by individual hydraulic motors, the speed of which can beadjusted to provide the desired linear motion of the various elementsunder control principles well established in the art.

For example, the distribution conveyor 12 is operated by a hydraulicmotor 22, the reel R is operated by a hydraulic motor 24, and the marketfruit and overflow conveyor 14 is turned by a hydraulic motor 26. Thedrive for the feed conveyor 10 is not shown in the drawings, but thelatter can be either a chute or a belt or any other means for providingthe necessary input of fruit F to the sorting system.

Sorting reel R has four automatically performed functions as follows:

a. The reel flights each pick up a row of fruit to be inspected from thelower side edge of the distribution conveyor 12.

b. The reel successively presents the rows of fruit picked up to thesorters for inspection.

c. The reel facilitates the removal of fruits (e.g., culls) by a simplemanual flicking operation in the preferred embodiment.

d. The reel deposits the unselected (e.g. market fruit) to the conveyor14.

In the drawings the market fruit is designated as MF and the culledfruit is designated as CF.

The reel R performs the above-delineated functions simply andeffectively by a very simple construction. The reel includes a centralhub 30 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which may be in the form of a large diameter pipeclosed at its ends by plates 32. Stub shafts 34 project from each endplate of the hub in order that the reel may be mounted for rotation inbearings 36, 38 (FIG. 4). Secured to the hub 30 of the reel arelongitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced flights 40 which arepreferably formed as angle bars to provide mounting flanges 41 forsecuring screws 42 (FIG. 3).

End plates 44 are provided to close off the ends of the flight bars 40.A fruit confining guide 50 surrounds the outer, lower quadrant of thereel so that after the fruit has been inspected and sorted it will beretained in the reel over a lower section of its path, to be dropped outonto the market conveyor 14, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The chute 16 for the culled fruit CF has its upper end spaced radiallyoutwardly from the confining guide 50 to provide a path for thedischarge of that fruit. The confining guide 50 is supported along itsupper edge by a bar 52 (shown only in FIG. 2), the ends of which aresupported on the framework of a machine (not shown) in any convenientmanner. As seen' in FIG. 2, and with a relatively small diameter reelhub (about 8 inches) the distribution belt 12 has its upper surfacedisposed at an upper portion of the reel R so that the fruits F arepicked up by the flight bars 40 before the bars reach their uppermost or12 oclock position. Thus, there is an upper inspection or sortingquadrant exposed to the sorting operator from about the 12 oclock toabout the 9 oclock position which facilitates inspection and manualflicking of the cull fruit from the reel as illustrated diagrammaticallyin FIG. 2. If a larger diameter reel hub is employed (such as the24-inch reel of FIG. 6) the pickup from the conveyor is lower, at aboutthe 2 oclock position.

Although the objects under inspection are supported by the reel over theinspection section or quadrant, it will also be seen that they areradially unconfined and are readily removed as culls CF when required.Of course, the process can be reversed, and the culls permitted toremain in the reel for distribution by the guide 50, the good orselected objects being flicked out onto the chute lib.

By way of example, in the preferred embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. ll-4l, the distribution belt 12 is about 20 incheswide and is driven at about 70 feet per minute and as mentioned it isinclined at an angle a from the horizontail of about Sf-l 5.

The diameter of the hub 30 of the reel R, shown at d in FIG. 3 is about8 inches, and the radial extent h of the flight bars l from the hub isabout 1%2 inches. The preferred reel speed in this embodiment is 8 rpm,giving a peripheral speed of the reel (at the periphery of the flightbars) of 25 feet per minute. The reel length (FIG. it) is about 120inches and five sorters are positioned in front of the reel giving ascan width w for each sorter of about 24 inches. When employed for thesorting of fruit such as tomatoes, tests have been that this system justdescribed can handle about 250,000 2-inch diameter tomatoes per hour.The sorting efficiency is such that with an input wherein 25 percent ofthe fruit presented to the sorters are culls, only percent of the fruitwill represent culls after the fruit has passed through the sortingsystem.

In operation, and referring first to FIG. d, a flow of fruit F isintroduced by the delivery conveyor 110 to the distribution conveyor 12.Since the conveyor i2 is moving longitudinally with respect to the reelR, the flow pattern for the fruit is established along the pathsillustrated schematically by the curved arrows. The effect of thelongitudinal motion of the conveyor 12, its inclination angle a and thefact that the reel is continuously picking up fruit from the lowermostedge of the conveyor 12 row by row, results in interaction between thefruits such that a preinspection row of fruit is established along thelower side edge of the conveyor 12, ready for pickup. This steadyremoval of a row of fruit along the side of the conveyor results in asomewhat triangular-shaped pattern on the conveyor I12 and if therelative speeds of the reel and the conveyor are properly adjusted,taking into consideration the rate of feed from the delivery conveyor10, the triangle will taper out to an apex substantially at the end ofthe reel. At times, a few fruits will be carried over the end ofconveyor 12 and onto the take-away conveyor 14, without having beenpicked up by the reel and hence inspected.

As mentioned and as illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 2, the reelconstruction just described facilitates manual flicking of the fruit outof the reel with either hand and the fruit need not be grasped andlifted from the conveyor as in prior devices. A mere use of the fingerscoupled with a pulling or flicking motion is all that is required.Experience has shown that the fatigue factor in this type of sorting isless than in the more conventional type of belt sorting which requiresgrasping and lifting of the fruit, and that under the present invention,a higher rate of sorting given a certain standard of accuracy can beexpected.

Although the preferred rotational speed of the 8-inch reel hub R is 8r.p.m. as mentioned above, under certain conditions the reel can rotateeither faster or slower than that figure. For example, it has been foundthat a slower speed rotation of the 8-inch hub could be employed-such as4.8 r.p.m., giving a peripheral speed of about 15 feet per minute. Atspeeds substantially lower than that, the presentation rate to thesorters is so slow as to not utilize their abilities at maximumeffectiveness. Of course, where detailed inspection is required withoutregard to throughput, the reel may be turned as slowly as necessary.

When used for sorting fruit such as tomatoes, the upper practical speedof the reel is in the order of 19-20 r.p.m., giving a peripheral reelspeed of about 60 feet per minute. As the reel speed increases from theaforesaid lower to higher speeds, the psychological effect is toincrease the rate of culling by the sorting operators and although thisincreased rate is accompanied by relatively slight increase in theculling error, the culling error remains within acceptable ranges.

The preferred speed of 8 r.p.m. for the reel was selected specificallyfor the use of tomatoes and with regard to the accuracy requirements ofcanneries or other uses of the sorted fruit.

MOlDlFIlED FORMS FIGS. 5 and a show a modified form of the inventionwherein the reel R has a diameter that is considerably larger than thatof the reel R previously described. In this embodiment, the hub 30a ofthe reel is 24 inches in diameter and the height of the flight bars 430ais substantially lie to 2 inches. It has been found that with a largerdiameter reel, an efficiency equal to that of the 8-inch diameter reelwill be attained when the width of the inspection or scanning zoneequals the 24- inch width w between the sorters shown in FIG. of theprevious embodiment. However, if for some reason it is desired to narrowthe inspection zone, the larger diameter reel can be blanked off bysheet members 56 (FIG. 5) to provide a narrower inspection zone, such asone having a width x of l2 inches. The larger diameter reel is moreefficient when set up for these narrower (under 24 inches) inspectionzones than is the smaller reel. The members 56 can either be sheetswrapped around the reel bars mounted as previously described, or couldbe thickened portions of the hub with the reel bars extending betweenthem, these being obvious mechanical equivalents. In the larger reelembodiment of the invention, it has been found that a peripheral reelspeed of about 25 feet a minute gives about the same sorting results asthe peripheral speed of about 25 ft./mi.n. with the 8-inch hub reelpreviously described. With the larger reel, this represents a turningrate of about 3.4 rpm. The lowest practical rotational speed of the24-inch reel was found to be about 2 rpm. (about 15 feet per minuteperipheral speed) and the upper practical speed is about 8 r.p.m. (about58 feet per minute peripheral speed) under the criteria outlined abovein the discussion of the preferred 8-inch hub reel.

In FIGS. 7 and 7A a modified reel assembly R-l is shown which providesfor rotation of the fruits about their own centers during inspection.This form of the invention exposes blemishes present on the fruit whichmight otherwise be hidden on the underside thereof. In the constructionshown, the hub 30b of the reel is formed with its stub shaft 31 fixedinto end supports 36 and 38 (the latter being at the other end of thereel and not illustrated in the figures), so that the reel hub isstationary. The flight bars 40b are rotated for picking up the fruit andpresenting it to the sorting operators. Accordingly, these bars aresecured at their ends to end plates, one end plate Mb being shown inFIGS. 7 and 7A. These end plated have hubs 60 that are rotatably mountedon the stub shafts 31 of the reel hub and the end plate 44b illustratedis provided with a driving pulley 62 which is driven by a belt 64} and apulley 66 on a hydraulic motor 68. In this construction and with an8-inch hub 30b, the flight bars 40b will be rotated at a speed of 8 rpm.for optimum sorting with fruit such as tomatoes or the like, but thespeed range of the flight bars can be from about 4.8 rpm. to about 19.2.r.p.m. as previously described in connection with the embodiment ofFIGS. l-d.

As the flight bars 40b carry the fruit around the fixed hub 30b, thefrictional contact between the fruit and the hub will cause a rotationof the fruits about their own centers for exposing blemishes, soft spotsor the like that might otherwise be partially masked by the hub and theflight bars. The other portions of the apparatus employed in connectionwith the reel assembly bar are like that previously described inconnection with the preferred embodiment.

In order to provide a higher degree of rotation of the fruits abouttheir own axes during inspection, the modified assembly of FIGS. 8 and8A can be employed. In this construction, the reel assembly R-2 is likethe reel assembly R-l except that here the hub 30c of the reel isrotated in a direction opposite to that of the flight bars 400. This isaccomplished, as seen in FIG. 8A, by rotatably mounting the stub shafts31c of the reel hub 300 in their bearing supports 36c, 380, (the latterbeing at the other end of the assembly and not appearing in thedrawings). The end plate 440 which supports the flight bars 400 at theend shown in FIG. 8A is rotated by the pulley 62, belt 64, pulley 66 andmotor 68 as in the form of FIGS. 7 and 7A. However, in this form, thereel hub 300 is rotated by a pulley 70 secured to the outer end of thestub shaft 310 and is turned in the direction shown in FIG. 8 (towardthe sorters) by means of a belt 72, a pulley 74 and another hydraulicmotor 76. The form shown has an 8-inch diameter reel hub, and thepreferred speed of counterrotation of the hub 300 will be in the orderof 2 rpm. The flight bars 400 turn at 8 rpm. (preferably) as before. Asmentioned, this counter rotation of the flight bars and reel hub willaugment the individual spinning action of the fruit, providing completeexposure of the fruit to the sorting operators.

FIG. 9 illustrates a modified form of the invention wherein the sameinspection and sorting path is provided as before, but

the path of motion of objects being sorted on the reel is no longercompletely circular. In this form of the invention, the reel R3 is inthe form of a flexible belt 61 to which flight bars 40d like thosepreviously described are secured. The belt 61 passes over a driving drum63 and an idler drum 65, the drum 63 being driven by a hydraulic motor24:! as previously described. The mode of operation of this form ofinvention is substantially like that of the preferred embodimentdescribed in detail above, but the upper reach of the belt 61 provides alonger inspection path for the objects being sorted.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-5 a preferreddistribution belt is shown wherein the preinspection row of objects isprovided along the sorting reel R for ready pickup by the flight barswhen they come toward the 12 oclock position of the reel. Thisconstruction is simple and effective, but it is contemplated that otherdistribution systems can be employed in conjunction with the reel systemof the present invention.

For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 10A a modifieddistribution conveyor 12a is provided. Instead of being laterallyinclined, the upper surface of the conveyor 12a is disposed in thehorizontal plane. In order to crowd tomatoes over toward the reel R(like that of FIGS. 1-5) for pickup and inspection, the distributionconveyor illustrated is provided with five rod deflectors 80 that extendat an angle of about 45f to the direction of conveyor belt motion andacross the belt from a supporting bar 82 at the far side of the belt.These rods, in the preferred embodiment, are about inch in diameter andthey just clear the belt 12a as seen in FIG. 10A. The resultantdistribution pattern resembles that of FIG. 4, but the action issomewhat different. Where the objects are globular such as fruit or thelike, they travel along the conveyor belt 12a until they strike adiversion rod 80. Upon striking the rod, they either roll up over therod and continue along the belt or they move along the rod in a pathleading to the edge of the belt for pickup by the reel. The individualobjects take the path of least resistance as determined by the forcesbeing ap plied to them by neighboring objects. In practice it is foundthat the objects will first move along the deflecting rods 80 until theyreach the side of the belt, but if they cannot reach this position they-will be pushed over the rods and on down the belt to produce thedesired pattern like that illustrated in FIG. 4 but omitted from FIG. 10for clarity. The linear speed of the belt 12a will be like that of thepreferred embodiment, namely about 70 feet per minute.

FIGS. 11 and 11A illustrate a different system for producing adistribution pattern like that shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4. In thisform, the belt 12b is somewhat wider than that previously described,namely in the preferred form, it is a belt which is 30 inches wideinstead of 20 inches, but its linear speed remains at 70 feet per minutein the preferred embodiment. A curved retarder or crowding wall ismounted across and along the length of the belt and spans the fullsorting extent of the system. The wall 90 is pivoted at 92 to a bracket93 supported on the frame of the machine (not shown) and is gently urgedtoward the sorting reel by a low rate coil spring 94 backed up at 96 onthe frame. The height of the retarder wall 90 is about 2 inches and itis mounted so that it just clears the belt 12b, as seen in FIG. 11A. Theaction of the retarder wall 90 is to provide a uniform distribution ofthe incoming fruit to the various sorters disposed along the reel R, aspreviously described. The distribution pattern is generally like thatshown in FIG. 4 is the speeds of the belts and the reel are properlyadjusted.

TESTING PROGRAM As previously mentioned, in sorting systems that employfruit or the like such as tomatoes, the most commonly employed systemfor handling high tonnage or throughput utilizes a flat sorting beltwith a row of sorters disposed along one side of the belt. These peopleinspect all of the fruit that passes in front of them and manuallygrasp, lift and deposit selected fruit (e.g., culls) into a convenientlyprovided cull selection station. It was recognized that the sortingsystem of the present invention would either make possible a higherthroughput with given number of sorters under a predetermined sortingcriteria (such as sorting to a level of 5 or 6 percent culls in thefinal output), or could employ fewer sorters with the prior throughput,while operating under the same error criteria. Accordingly, in order toprovide a series of valid reproducible tests, experimental sorting unitswere set up in a manner in which the continuous flow of simulated fruithaving known percentages of culls was presented to sorters. The sortingeffectiveness or efficiency in terms of culls missed, etc., in relationto the number of culls provided at a known throughput was thendetermined, over a large number of runs.

These tests were intended to simulate the sorting of tomatoes andaccordingly balls of three colors were provided. Some represented ripemarket tomatoes, some were green to represent green or blemishedtomatoes, and others were dark red to represent over-ripe fruit. Theseballs were mixed in known percentages and were continuously presented tothe sorters at a known rate. The culls selected by the sorters werecounted and the culls remaining after leaving the sorting zone were alsocounted, giving an index of performance under known conditions. Theballs were continuously circulated and were presented to the sorters atvarious rates which enabled the corresponding total throughput over agiven time to be determined. These tests were made on both aconventional sorting belt along which one or more sorters were disposed,as well as with the sorting reel of the present invention. In order tominimize the effect of human factors, various numbers of sorters wereemployed on the tests, their positions were rotated during the tests andthe results averaged The results of tests which give the relation ofresults using a flat sorting belt with those attained using an 8-inchdiameter, 24-inch span zone reel for each sorter are given in the curvesof FIGS. 12 and 13.

The curves of FIG. 12 represent the work that can be accomplished by asingle sorter in each of the flat belt and reel systems, although asmentioned above, this represents an average result based on tests usinga considerable number of sorters under various conditions. The absicissaof the curve gives Culls Presented Per Minute" to the sorter, whichfigures were obtained by changing the percentage of culls in a giventotal flow or input to the system, as well as by changing the input orflow rate in terms of objects/minute presented for sorting.

The ordinate of the curves gives Culls Removed Per I /linw te" by thesorter and these figures were obtained simply by counting the number ofculls that were flicked from the reel and hence from the mainstream offruit introduced to the distribution belt 112 of the system of thepresent invention, or the number removed from the flat sorting beltrunning alongside of the sorter in accordance with prior conventionalsorting systems.

in the tests of the present invention recorded in FIGS. I2 and 13, thereel employed was the preferred embodiment having an 8-inch diameter huboperating at 8 rpm, giving a peripheral speed of about 25 feet perminute and the scanning zone along the reel occupied by a sorter was 24inches long.

At the outset, it should be noted that the curves of FIG. 12 necessarilyreflect certain psychological characteristics of sorters in general thatis independent of the nature of the sorting system with which they areworking. This characteristic can be explained most simply by a numericalexample taken from either of the curves on FIG. 112 For example,referring to the belt curve, if a mixture of good fruit and culls iscaused to flow past the sorting station so that 400 culls per minute arepresented to the sorter, 146 of the culls will be removed per minute.However, if the flow conditions were such that only 146 culls per minutewere presented to the same sorter, he would remove only 105culls/minutenot all 146 of them. An understanding of this principleindicates the desirability (in actual practice) of presenting as manyculls to the sorters as possible while holding the culling error withinthe acceptable upper limit.

As can be seen from the comparison of the two curves in FIG. l2, cullremoval is significantly improved with the 8 by 24 inch reel assembly ofthe present invention as compared to the standard-type sorting belt. Forexample, and again referring to the curves of FIG. 12, let us assumethat we wish to hold the culling error to some percentage basis, such asthe ratio of the number of culls missed to the total number of cullspresented, times l--say a 6 percent error. When using standard beltsorting, the maximum cull presentation rate that can be handled toproduce no more than a 6 percent error is that represented by presentinga flow having 80 culls per minute to the sorter who thereupon willremove 75 thereof, resulting in an error of approximately 6 percent.Using the reel system of the present invention, the presentation of aflow having 200 culls per minute to the sorter will result in hisremoval of I88 culls per minute, producing the same 6 percent error. Atthe 200 rate, the flat belt sorter will remove only 120 culls/min.- a 40percent error.

Thus the sorting systems of the present invention gives a substantialadvantage over the prior bled sorting system which can be evaluated fromtwo standpoints. Either more fruit can be sorted within a givenacceptable percentage of error, or a fewer number of sorters can be usedto produce the result previously obtainable by the conventional beltsorting system.

The curves of FIG. l3 compare the reel-type sorting system of thepresent invention with that of the conventional flat belt in anothermanner. These curves are provided to assist in the selection of a Numberof Sorters" required (abscissa of the curve), with the Tons Input PerHour" to the system (the right-hand ordinate scale), it being assumedthat the input material comprises 25 percent culls. The left-handordinate of the curve indicated the Culls Removed Per Minute and sincethe presented objects have a fixed percentage of culls, figures of thisordinate are a restatement of figures of the right-hand ordinate of thecurve. Thus, for example, it can be seen that three sorters using theconventional-type belt will handle about 7 tons per hour while theyremove about 350 culls per minute leaving percent culls in the finaloutput. The

till

same three sorters, using the reel system of the present invention, willhandle over 12 tons per minute, and will remove over 600 culls perminute with the same 5 percent error in sorting.

In certain applications, as many as 14 tons per hour are commonlypresented to sorters and as can be seen this will require five sorterson the belt system, whereas only three sorters using the reel system ofthe present invention could almost handle the same input.

There is another factor which must be considered in actual field use ofthese sorting systems, and that is the "fatigue factor. It has beenfound, as mentioned above, that the fatigue factor for reel sorting ofthe present invention is substantially less than that of belt sortingdue to the difference between flicking off the fruit and inspecting anentire flow of fruit and lifting the culls therefrom manually. Since thefatigue factor for the reel sorting system of the present invention canbe estimated to give about percent of the production shown on the reelcurve, and whereas the fatigue factor for the standard belt sortingsystem will only give about 55-65 percent, it can be seen that theadvantages of the sorting system of the present invention are evengreater than that indicated in the curves of FIG. 11?.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. I l-l7 illustratediagrammatically a mode of operation wherein the sorting system of thepresent invention can be operated automatically. The electronic detailsof the type circuitry illustrated are well known and represent state ofart designs. Either vacuum tube or transistor circuits can be employed.One or more color signals can be sensed by separate photosensitiveelements to precisely distinguish between fruits of different colors.However, in the system to be described, it will be assumed thatdistinction is only to be made between ripe and green tomatoes, in whichcase a single photosensitive element with suitable filter can beutilized. Details of the color discrimination features are not criticalto the present invention and mode for providing signals representingpreuse color discriminations are well known in the art as exemplified bythe patent to Roberts, llr., 3,206,022, Sept. 14, I965, assigned to theFMC Corporation, wherein apples are sorted by color. The electroniccircuitry described in detail in the Roberts patent can be readilyadapted to the sorting of fruit on the reel system of the presentinvention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art andaccordingly it is not believed necessary to describe the circuitelements in detail, particularly since these design elements are notcritical to the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. t4l l7, the modified reel Rx rotates on a fixedtubular axle lflll which is fixedly mounted in end supports 102, one ofwhich appears in FIG. 16. The hub Ellie of the reel mounts flight barsille as in the previous embodiments. The hub is closed by end plates MM,one of which appears in FIG. I6. The end plate of FIG. 16 has a hubportion 106 mounting a drive pulley 1108 which is driven by a belt lltland a hydraulic motor 24le in accordance with the principles previouslydescribed. The reel Rx just described has essentially the same mode ofoperation as the preferred embodiment of the reel R previouslyillustrated and described.

In the automatic rejection system being described, the reel is axiallydivided by partitions M2 to provide individual pockets for the fruit. Areject plunger IM is provided for each pocket, as best seen in FIGS. Mand i5 and each plunger has a spring-retracted armature llfi (FIG. ISA)that can be projected by an associated electric solenoid 1116. Acontractor brush llllti is mounted on the solenoid and connects to itswinding 116a, the other end of the winding being grounded. The solenoidsare mounted in brackets I20 which have several lugs 122 (FIG. 114i) thatmount between inwardly projecting ears formed on the interior of thereel hub 30a. The details of the solenoid mountings are not critical tothe present invention, it merely being necessary that the solenoids bemounted for rotation with the reel and in a manner which will withstandthe reject thrust of the solenoid plungers us when they are expelled bya reject signal.

A row of commutators is provided on the shaft 100 of the reel fordirecting reject signals to the individual solenoids 116 associated witheach fruit pocket in the reel. In the apparatus illustrated, acommutator segment 124 is mounted between each set of partitions 112,each segment being just above the guide chute 50 (FIG. 14). Thesesegments are insulated from one another and from the reel axle 100 bymeans of insulation and mounting elements 126. A reject power pulse isintroduced into each commutator segment 124 by a lead 128 from a rejectcircuit (FIG. 17) associated with each segment.

The fruits F are illuminated adjacent an upper portion of the reel Rx bydiffuse light provided by long fluorescent lamps 130, 132 (FIGS. 14 and16). The reflected light is sensed by a photocell unit 134 disposedabove each ring of pockets provided by the partitions 112 and theflights 40e. The photocell unit 134 can be a dual unit with appropriatefilters to measure light at two wavelengths or it can be a single unit,depending upon the precision and sensitivity required. These detailsrepresent known expedients in the color sorting art and hence are notamplified in this brief description of an exemplary sorting system.

Means are provided to initiate a reject signal and to reset the signalapparatus during an arc of motion of the reel flight bars thatcorresponds to somewhat less than the circumferential extent of onecommutator segment 124. Although many electrical and optical means areknown for performing this function, in the embodiment illustrated, thefunction is performed by paired sets of read" commutator segments 140and reset'commutator segments 150 on the axle 100, there being a pair ofthese segments for each row of fruit between flight bars 402.

The segments 140, 150 are mounted by insulation rings 141, 151 on theaxle 100. Segments 140,150 are engaged by fixed brushes 142, 152,respectively. The segments 140, 150 each connect to a slipring 144 whichis engaged by a brush 146 connected to a battery 148. As seen in FIGS.16 and 17, the reset brush 152 is contacted by a segment 150 of eachpair just after the read" brush 142 has been contacted by a seg ment 140of the same pair. This provides read and reset signals that occur withinthe length of time required for a solenoid brush 118 to pass over asegment 124.

In operation, and as illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 17, when agreen fruit (for example) is sensed by the photocell unit 134, a rejectsignal voltage is imparted to a line 160 and amplified at 162. Thisprovides a reject signal voltage at line 164 leading to an AND-circuit166. While a fruit F is thus being sensed for color, the correspondingrea brush 142 will engage a read commutator segment 140 and a readsignal appears on a line 170 leading to a bistable multivibrator FF1. Ofcourse, lines 170a, 170b, etc., and associated circuits are provided foreach commutator segment 120. The diagram of FIG. 17 illustrates only thecircuitry required for one of these segments.

The read pulse from line 170 is transmitted from F F-l by a line 172 tothe AND-circuit 166 previously described, which also receives a rejectpulse voltage, when a bad fruit is sensed by the photocell unit. Theoutput of the AND circuit flips a multivibrator FF-2 if a bad fruit issensed. This is a time delay unit and after a suitable time delay,provides a reject voltage signal to a line 176 that leads to a powerswitch 178. Upon receipt of the reject voltage, the power switchimmediately provides a reject power pulse to the line 128 leading to thebrush segment 124. The reject solenoid 116 is now energized, sliding thebad fruit CF across the flight bar 40c (FIG. 14) and into the cullcollecting station, as previously described. The time constant of thetime delay multivibrator FF-2 will be such as to allow for rotation ofthe reel flight bars by approximately one quadrant, that is from theread position at the top of the reel to the reject" position at aboutthe 9 oclock position of the reel, as illustrated in FIG. 14.

Almost immediately after the read" signal has been convened into areject signal as described above, the brush 152 is contacted by theassociated reset commutator segment 150.

This sends a reset pulse to a lead that resets FF-I which in turn resetsFF-2 to ready the circuit for another read" signal. Branch lines 190a,190b, etc., are provided for the other individual circuits provided foreach commutator segment 124, as explained in connection with the read"signal line 170.

Although read signals are applied to the AND circuit for every fruit ineach individual circuit of FIG. 17, rejections will only occur when theindividual fruits supply reject signals to their associatedphotosensitive elements 134. Thus, in a given row of tomatoes along aflight bar 40c, only those tomatoes which are off color will be rejectedby the solenoid plungers 1 14.

The circuit just explained rejects oiTcolor fruit, but this is a meredesign feature. The sensors can be designed to provide reject signalsfor ripe fruit, leaving the cull fruit in the reel.

ADDITIONAL EMBODIMENTS employing a modified object confining guide atthe reel. In this embodiment, the reel R (illustrated as the reel shownin the embodiment of FIGS. l-4) is mounted in association with adistribution conveyor 12 and a take away conveyor 14 as previouslydescribed. In this embodiment, the take-away conveyor 14 is now disposedso that it is more central of the reel axis than in the position shownin FIG. 2, for example. The modified confining guide, indicated at 200,has two features not previously described. It distributes the objectsuniformly on the take-away conveyor 14 and has a flexible flap thatprovides a safety feature during operation.

As best seen in FIG. 19, the confining guide 200 is tapered at 202 alongthe path of travel of the take-away conveyor belt 14. Retainer walls204, 206 flank the belt 14.

The purpose of this construction is to minimize the dropping of fruitfrom a downstream location along the conveyor 14 onto fruit previouslydeposited on that conveyor at an upstream location. To explain thisaction, it can be considered, by way of simplication and example, thatfruits such as tomatoes are dropped off the edge 202 of the guide 200 ina row disposed along that edge. Since the edge 202 runs diagonallyacross the conveyor 14, the edge acts to drop the fruit onto theconveyor 14 in discrete rows along that conveyor, without substantialinterference between rows. Thus, the tendency of a given fruit depositeddownstream of the conveyor 14 to fall upon a fruit deposited upstream ofthe same conveyor is minimized.

The other feature of this embodiment resides in the provision of arubber or rubberized canvas flap 208 which is screwed at 210 along theupper edge of the confining guide 200. This flap will yield in caseinexperienced operators attempt to retrieve fruit passing down betweenthe confining guide and the reel R. By thus readily yielding, the flap208 maintains the fruit confining function of the guide 200, but theoperators fingers will not be pinched by the flight bars 40 as thelatter pass within the confines of the guides.

FIG. 20 shows a modified form of reel R-4 wherein the flight bars 40fare formed in the manner of the reel R previously described, but areprovided of the reel R previously described, but are provided with endcaps 220. Each cap 220 can be formed as a U-shaped rubber, plastic ormetal strip secured in any convenient manner to the projecting flange ofthe flight bar 40e. These caps assist in preventing the prematurerolloff of the fruit F as it approaches the horizontal or 9 o'clocksorting position.

FIG. 21 shows a similarly constructed reel R-S wherein the flight bars40g have curled or turned over ends 230, which serve as auxiliaryretainers to prevent accidental rolloff of the fruit in the manner justdescribed. Neither of the caps 220, 230 interfere with sliding of thefruit out of the reel.

FIGS. 22 and 23 shows a modified distribution assembly designed toinsure that only a single layer of fruit will be presented to the reel Rby the distribution conveyor 12. In this ild assembly, a leveling bar240 is mounted on the frame as indicated at 242. The bar 2 W extendsacross the conveyor 12 and hence is in the path of the fruit between azone 2M where it is deposited on the distribution conveyor l2 and thezone of the conveyor l2 that is in front the reel R. As best seen inFIG. 24, the leveling bar M is spaced above the upper reach of thedistribution conveyor ll2 by a distance which is sufficient for a singlevertical layer of fruit F of maximum expected diameter to pass. As aresult of this, a single layer of fruit is provided on the distributionconveyor 12 so that the fruit is picked off that conveyor in singledepth rows, thereby further insuring that each fruit will beindividually inspected by the sorting operator.

Having concluded a detailed description of the preferred embodiment ofthe invention it can be seen that the sorting system of the presentinvention is not only simple and compact, but provides substantialadvantages in maintaining a confined percentage of error in sorting orconversely in producing more sorts in a given length of time with agiven error than that made possible with prior standardized systems.

Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the presentinvention has been herein shown and described, it will be apparent thatmodification and variation may be made without departing from what isregarded to be the subject matter of the invention.

What i claim is:

l. Apparatus for facillitating the sorting of discrete objects,comprising means providing a sorting station, reel means disposed alongsaid sorting station and having flights for supporting the objects insuccessive rows, conveyor means for successively filling the upperflights of said reel means, means for moving the filled flights over anupper, generally circular inspection path while leaving all of theobjects in each row exposed and radially unconfined for ready removal toa first collection station, means for confining objects remaining insaid reel means over a path below said inspection path, and means forthereafter releasing the objects thus confined to a second collectionstation, said reel means being of a diameter that is sufficiently largerthan the objects so that at least two of said flights are disposed insaid upper, generally circular inspection path.

2. The apparatus of claim ll, wherein said objects are generallyglobular objects such as fruit or the like, a row of manual sortingstations is provided, said reel means extending along said row ofstations, and the objects are supported along their inspection path sothat they can be manually flicked out of their flights.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said conveyor means is a generallyhorizontally running endless belt, said conveyor belt being laterallyinclined downward toward said reel for forming a preinspection row ofobjects ready to be picked off by a flight ofsaid reel.

l. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said reel means com prises asingle, elongate reel.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said reel means comprises agenerally cylindrical hub, said flights each comprising longitudinal barmeans projecting radially from said hub, with the circumferentialspacing of the bar means being large enough to accommodate the sizerange of the individual objects being sorted.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the diameter of said reel hub liesin the range of about 8 to 24 inches and the reel means is driven at aperipheral speed in the range of about 15 to 60 ft./min.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the diameter of said reel means hubis about 8 inches and the reel means is driven at about 5 to rpm.

it. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said object confining meanscomprises a curved shield that cooperates with the reel flights belowsaid inspection path.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, comprising a flexible flap pro-- jectingupwardly from said curved shield.

it). The apparatus of claim ti, wherein said second collection stationcomprises a conveyor running beneath reel means, said curved objectconfining shield having an apron for delivering the object to saidconveyor that is tapered along the path of conveyor motion.

ill. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said reel means comprises acylindrical hub having generally radially projecting, axially extendingflights.

H2. The apparatus of claim it, wherein the free ends of said flights areenlarged to reduce accidental dislodgement of objects from the flights.

l3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said conveyor means comprises abelt running along said reel means and having a receiving end thatprojects past the reel means, a feeder conveyor for said belt, and aleveling bar extending across said belt downstream of said feederconveyor.

M. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said conveyor mans is a generallyhorizontally running endless belt, and low profile rods extendingangularly across the belt.

115. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said conveyor means is agenerally horizontally running belt, and a spring-biased, curved erowderarm extending along and over the belt.

116. Sorting apparatus for globular articles such as fruit or the like,comprising an article distributing conveyor belt, an elongate reeldisposed alongside said belt, said reel comprising a cylindrical hubwith axially disposed, radially extending flight bars cooperating withthe hub to form radially open article receiving pockets, the diameter ofsaid reel being such that at least two of said flights are in the upper,descending quadrant of said reel, means for forming the objects on saidbelt into a row at the side of the belt adjacent said reel and forurging the row of objects between adjacent reel flight bars along thelength of the reel, means providing a plurality of manual sortingstations disposed along the side of said reel opposite the belt, a fixedarticle confining shield disposed around a lower quadrant of said reel,the upper end of said shield being spaced from said reel hub only farenough to clear the largest objects, means for separating receivingarticles on each side of said shield, and means for rotating said reelso that its upper quadrant moves from said belt toward said sortingstatrons.

17. The apparatus of claim to, wherein said belt is laterally inclinedtoward an upper portion of said reel.

lid. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the peripheral speed of the saidreel is about 25 ft./min.

W. The apparatus ofclaim l6 wherein said reel hub is about 8 inches indiameter, and the flight bars project about 1-2 inches therefrom.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said reel is rotated at about 5-20rpm.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said reel is rotated at at about 8rpm.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said sorting stations are about 24inches apart.

23. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said reel hub is about 24 inchesin diameter, and the flight bars project about 1-2 inches therefrom.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said reel is rotated at about 2-8rpm.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said reel flights are blanked outbetween sorting stations, leaving about 12 inches of flight length ateach station.

as. The method of sorting a mass of discrete objects comprising thesteps of carrying spaced longitudinal rows of the objects over agenerally circular inspection path at a sorting station while supportingthe objects in each row over the downwardly moving upper sector of saidpath so that they are exposed, radially unconfined and circumferentiallyspaced sufficiently for ready removal of selected objects from theirrow, the diameter of said path being sufficiently larger than that ofthe objects so that at least two rows of objects are thus supported inthe downwardly moving upper sector of said path; externally confiningthe rows around a lower sector of said circular path and around aninitial radius not substantially grater than that taken by the outermostportions of the objects; sliding selected individual objects radiallyalong and clear of their downwardly moving supports in the upper sectorof said path and clear of the confinement for the lower sector of thepath, collecting the selected objects as they fall by gravity, andcontinuing to carry the rows of nonselected objects around the confinedlower sector of said path.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising the steps of moving the assortedobjects along a longitudinal feeder path transverse to said inspectionpath, and lifting objects from said feeder path by supports on theupwardly moving upper sector of a circular pickup path for deliveringthe objects to said downwardly moving upper sector of said inspectionpath.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the objects are supported fromdirectly beneath their centers of gravity as they reach the end of saiddownwardly moving upper sector of said path.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said discrete objects are fruitssuch as tomatoes or the like, said sorting stations comprise a pluralityof manual sorting stations provided along said row of objects, and theselected objects presented for sorting are removed by a mere manualflicking of the objects clear of their supports as they are carried oversaid inspection path.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent: No.3,637,075 Dated anuary 25, 1971 Inven David W. Cayton It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 16 line 39 "separating" should read separately Signed and sealedthis 20th day of March 1973 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM pomso (10459) uscowwoc 6O376-P69 U.S. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE: I969 O-36E3344

1. Apparatus for facillitating the sorting of discrete objects,comprising means providing a sorting station, reel means disposed alongsaid sorting station and having flights for supporting the objects insuccessive rows, conveyor means for successively filling the upperflights of said reel means, means for moving the filled flights over anupper, generally circular inspection path while leaving all of theobjects in each row exposed and radially unconfined for ready removal toa first collection station, means for confining objects remaining insaid reel means over a path below said inspection path, and means forthereafter releasing the objects thus confined to a second collectionstation, said reel means being of a diameter that is sufficiently largerthan the objects so that at least two of said flights are disposed insaid upper, generally circular inspection path.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said objects are generally globular objects such asfruit or the like, a row of manual sorting stations is provided, saidreel means extending along said row of stations, and the objects aresupported along their inspection path so that they can be manuallyflicked out of their flights.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein saidconveyor means is a generally horizontally running endless belt, saidconveyor belt being laterally inclined downward toward said reel forforming a preinspection row of objects ready to be picked off by aflight of said reel.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said reelmeans comprises a single, elongate reel.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3,wherein said reel means comprises a generally cylindrical hub, saidflights each comprising longitudinal bar means projecting radially fromsaid hub, with the circumferential spacing of the bar means being largeenough to accommodate the size range of the individual objects beingsorted.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the diameter of said reelhub lies in the range of about 8 to 24 inches and the reel means isdriven at a peripheral speed in the range of about 15 to 60 ft./min. 7.The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the diameter of said reel means hub isabout 8 inches and the reel means is driven at about 5 to 20 r.p.m. 8.The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said object confining means comprisesa curved shield that cooperates with the reel flights below saidinspection path.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, comprising a flexible flapprojecting upwardly from said curved shield.
 10. The apparatus of claim8, wherein said second collection station comprises a conveyor runningbeneath reel means, said curved object confining shield having an apronfor delivering the object to said conveyor that is tapered along thepath of conveyor motion.
 11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said reelmeans comprises a cylindrical hub having generally radially projecting,axially extending flights.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein thefree ends of said flights are enlarged to reduce accidental dislodgementof objects from the flights.
 13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein saidconveyor means comprises a belt running along said reel means and havinga receiving end that projects past the reel means, a feeder conveyor forsaid belt, and a leveling bar extending across said belt downstream ofsaid feeder conveyor.
 14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein saidconveyor means is a generally horizontally running endless belt, and lowprofile rods extending angularly across the belt.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 2, wherein said conveyor means is a generally horizontally runningbelt, and a spring-biased, curved crowder arm extending along and overthe belt.
 16. Sorting apparatus for globular articles such as fruit orthe like, comprising an article distributing conveyor belt, an elongatereel disposed alongside said belt, said reel comprising a cylindricalhub with axially disposed, radially extending flight bars cooperatingwith the hub to form radially open article receiving pockets, thediameter of said reel being such that at least two of said flights arein the upper, descending quadrant of said reel, means for forming theobjects on said belt into a row at the side of the belt adjacent saidreel and for urging the row of objects between adjacent reel flight barsalong the length of the reel, means providing a plurality of manualsorting stations disposed along the side of said reel opposite the belt,a fixed article confining shield disposed around a lower quadrant ofsaid reel, the upper end of said shield being spaced from said reel hubonly far enough to clear the largest objects, means for separatingreceiving articles on each side of said shield, and means for rotatingsaid reel so that its upper quadrant moves from said belt toward saidsorting stations.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said belt islaterally inclined downward toward an upper portion of said reel. 18.The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the peripheral speed of the said reelis about 25 ft./min.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said reel hubis about 8 inches in diameter, and the flight bars project about 1- 2inches therefrom.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said reel isrotated at about 5- 20 r.p.m.
 21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein saidreel is rotated at at about 8 r.p.m.
 22. The apparatus of claim 19wherein said sorting stations are about 24 inches apart.
 23. Theapparatus of claim 16 wherein said reel hub is about 24 inches indiameter, and the flight bars project about 1- 2 inches therefrom. 24.The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said reel is rotated at about 2- 8r.p.m.
 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said reel flights areblanked out between sorting stations, leaving about 12 inches of flightlength at each station.
 26. The method of sorting a mass of discreteobjects comprising the steps of carrying spaced longitudinal rows of theobjects over a generally circular inspectioN path at a sorting stationwhile supporting the objects in each row over the downwardly movingupper sector of said path so that they are exposed, radially unconfinedand circumferentially spaced sufficiently for ready removal of selectedobjects from their row, the diameter of said path being sufficientlylarger than that of the objects so that at least two rows of objects arethus supported in the downwardly moving upper sector of said path;externally confining the rows around a lower sector of said circularpath and around an initial radius not substantially grater than thattaken by the outermost portions of the objects; sliding selectedindividual objects radially along and clear of their downwardly movingsupports in the upper sector of said path and clear of the confinementfor the lower sector of the path, collecting the selected objects asthey fall by gravity, and continuing to carry the rows of nonselectedobjects around the confined lower sector of said path.
 27. The method ofclaim 26, comprising the steps of moving the assorted objects along alongitudinal feeder path transverse to said inspection path, and liftingobjects from said feeder path by supports on the upwardly moving uppersector of a circular pickup path for delivering the objects to saiddownwardly moving upper sector of said inspection path.
 28. The methodof claim 26, wherein the objects are supported from directly beneaththeir centers of gravity as they reach the end of said downwardly movingupper sector of said path.
 29. The method of claim 26, wherein saiddiscrete objects are fruits such as tomatoes or the like, said sortingstations comprise a plurality of manual sorting stations provided alongsaid row of objects, and the selected objects presented for sorting areremoved by a mere manual flicking of the objects clear of their supportsas they are carried over said inspection path.